News Center

Posted on Mar 20, 2013

We all know that it’s natural to feel depressed or anxious when we suffer a personal tragedy or difficulty such as the loss of a loved one, a divorce, loss of a job, or when dealing with new or stressful situations. Most of us are able to cope with these types of stressful events and in a relatively short period, return to our normal activities.

This type of short term or occasional depression or anxiety is different from chronic depression or anxiety. Unlike normal feelings of sadness, grief, low energy, or anxiousness, chronic distress is an illness that causes a person to feel sad and hopeless most of the time.

Chronic distress can affect us both emotionally and physically with symptoms such as headaches, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, upset stomach and problems sleeping. Emotionally these problems include depression, panic attacks and worry. Combined with continued stress, these effects can seem overwhelming.

Fortunately, a variety of treatments have proven to be effective. If you have a friend or loved one that you believe suffers from chronic distress that has led to depression and/or anxiety, you might be wondering how you can encourage them to seek treatment.

Miracle of Living lecture in April will increase your knowledge about chronic depression, anxiety and stress, including how to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety, and provide information on helping loved ones get the care they need.